Marks & Spencer reported falling half-year profits today as it counted the cost of its worst non-food sales performance for three years.

Marks & Spencer’s worst trading performance for three years triggered a boardroom casualty today after its womenswear range failed to strike a chord with shoppers.

Marks & Spencer suffered its worst non-food sales for more than three years as a failure to buy the right stock compounded grim high street trends.

Luxury fashion brand Jaeger today said it wanted to increase its international footprint further as it reported a 16% rise in annual earnings.

Debenhams chief executive Belinda Earl and her fellow executive directors stand to gain a £2.7m (€3.9m) windfall from a long-term incentive plan when the company is taken private next month.

The battle for control of Debenhams took a new twist today as a consortium led by CVC Capital Partners upped its recommended offer for the department store group to £1.72bn (€2.4bn).

BRITISH department store chain and bid target Debenhams Plc said yesterday its sales growth was accelerating, outpacing bigger rivals and lending weight to calls from shareholders for a higher takeover price.

High-street chain Debenhams, who have a Dublin store, toasted record full-year profits today but said its sales growth had slowed in recent weeks.